A lengthy drought last summer parched this pasture of Bermuda grass in Hector. (Phil Sims/UA System Division of Agriculture)

The USDA says that after remaining steady from 1982 to 2002, farm commodity prices have tended to rise. During the last decade, the world food system has seen “rare back-to-back price swings, first in 2007-2008, and then again during 2010-2011.” Shortages stemming from extreme weather are among the factors driving these price swings, the agency says.

The USDA analyzed crop insurance payouts in Iowa from 1970 to 2010. The study showed that payouts made during the first decade of the 2000s far exceeded those from 1971 through 1999.

While the U.S. Department of Agriculture warns of "overall detrimental effects" stemming from climate change by the middle of this century, some farmers reject that cause, saying when it comes to the weather, all bets are off.

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